Sickle Cell Anemia Research Paper

There have been discoveries of haplotypes for distinct region specific mutations of the HbS genes. The four African Haplotypes include the Senegal, Benin, Bantu, and Cameroon haplotypes. There has also been one discovery of an Asian haplotype referred to as the Arab-Indian haplotype [1]. The occurrence of these haplotypes indicates that the increase in sickle cell anemia is related to the incidence of malaria in the surrounding regions [8]. Evidence that supports the link between the amplification of malaria and sickle cell anemia is that individuals who have a HbS gene, have partial resistance to all forms of plasmodium falciparum malaria infection [8]. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where SCD is most prevalent, it is estimated that more than 230, …show more content…
Children with sickle cell are more susceptible to bacterial infections that are caused by damages in the spleen, tissue damage and nutrient deficiencies. Acute pain is the most common complication that indicates the mortality of the individual. The more frequent pain occurs, the greater the mortality rate[1]. After acute pain, acute chest pain is the second highest reason as to why patients with SCD are hospitalized. It is related to the acute damage of the lung that results in the development of a new pulmonary alveoli which contains accumulated substance. The neurological complication is the reason why stroke is the most common condition of children with sickle cell anemia. Children are more susceptible to stroke caused by cerebral infarctions, whereas adults are more likely to have a stroke due to hemorrhages …show more content…
In more specific terms the prevalence among children was 7.4 per 1000 and adults was 17.7 per 1000 patients [16]. SCD patients in general have a 3.75% chance of having a stroke throughout their life [6]. Hemorrhage strokes, which are more common in adults, are most likely to occur between the ages of 20 to 29. Patients who experience hemorrhagic strokes experience nausea and vomiting, extreme headaches and can even go into coma [6]. It is recognized that patients who have experienced a stroke more commonly have antiotensinogen (an alpha-2 globulin that gives rise to angiotensin which creates vasoconstrictive activity) gene alleles [14]. Stroke in SCD patients causes almost a tenth of deaths [14]. Pediatric patients who survive a stroke are hospitalized, where they under go intense and aggressive intracranial and seizure treatment [r1]. The treatment involves the patient lying on the bed for at least 24 hours to maximize cerebral perfusion pressure ( the difference between mean arterial pressure and cranial pressure) [18]. One of the methods to prevent the incidence of stroke patients use Transcranial Dopplers (TCD) which indicate the blood flow velocity in the most commonly affected areas that triggers stroke including anterior cerebral arteries proximal middle cerebral arteries, and distal carotid artery in children [10]. About 30% children who had a result of less than